Although the "tiger complex" is the most well known group of mimics
and models in South America, there are a number of other mimicry
rings. The "glasswing ring" is a group of largish transparent species
that includes toxic Mullerian models in the Ithomiine genera
Methona and
Thyridia, a toxic Danaine Lycorea ilione,
and a Batesian mimic - the palatable Dismorphiine
Patia orise. The "orange ring" is
comprised of a group of bright orange species including
Marpesia petreus,
Dryas iulia and Eueides aliphera.

Additionally there are several species pairs, the most well known of
which is Heliconius erato and
Heliconius melpomene. These species each
produce 29 different geographically isolated subspecies. For each
subspecies of erato, there is an
equivalently patterned melpomene
subspecies.

Why so many
mimicry rings? The answer in the case of Ithomiines is vertical
stratification of their forest habitats. The smaller glasswings
regardless of genus tend to fly and utilise foodplants in the lower
understorey. Tigers occupy the layer between about 2-4 metres above
ground level. Other groups inhabit progressively higher layers, right
up to the sub-canopy. In the case of genera such as
Heliconius, which all tend to fly at
roughly the same height, Mullerian mimicry complexes are apparently
segregated horizontally by vegetation type.

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